Mill box and the like



June 30, 1942. A. F. FYANs 2,288,396

.MILL BOX AND THE LIKE Filed March 15, 1941 Figi.

Invenor.

Alber F Fycms bym M2M' ATys.

Patented June 30, 1942 UNITED STATES EATENT OFFICE MILL BOX AND THE' LIKE Albertr F. Fyans, Fall River, Mass. Application March 15, 1941, Serial No. 383,606

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in lined boxes and particularly mill boxes and the like which are generally used to receive and transport articles from one place to another.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a box having a bottom and stiff sheet metal side walls provided with lining sheets so constructed that the box will be of maximum rigidity and the lining sheets firmly held in contact with the contiguous sheet metal Walls.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for locking the adjacent ends of the sheet metal walls together of such character as also to hold the ends of the lining sheets firmly in place.

A further object of the invention is to provide a box of the character described having sheet metal walls with metal angle plates having their flanges welded to the respective sheet metal walls, thereby reenforcing the corners and increasing the rigidity of the box and providing smooth corners.

A further feature ci the invention comprises the provision of guards embracing the upper edges of the side walls and their lining sheets, and also engaging the upper ends of the locking members to retain them from displacement.

Another object of the invention is to provide aA box of the character described with a base having parallel wooden cleats acting as runners to permit the box to be slid upon the iloor, or alternatively to provide bases for suitable casters to enable the box to be transformed into a truck.

These and other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and the accompanying drawing and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing particularly designed for a rectangular mill box but it will be understood that the invention may be applied to boxes of other forms having a suitable base provided with angularly disposed flat sheet metal side walls with or without sheets of lining material.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View of a metal box embodying the invention illustrating in dotted lines casters adapted to be applied to runner cleats on the bottom of the box to transform it into a truck; and,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing as embodied in a mill box which comprises a rectangular bottom l of suitable material, preferably wood, having vertical side walls 2, of stiff sheet metal, preferably sheet steel of suitable thickness, mounted upon the periphery of the base. The word side is used herein in a broad sense to include any of the vertical walls of the box as the present invention may be embodied in a box having a rectangular base, a square base, or a base of any other form having, flat sides mounted thereon. Each of the sheet metal side walls 2 has inwardly bent hook-shaped end flanges 3 adapted to receive and embrace or enclose the ends of a liner 4 of suitable sheet material, such as stiff fibreboard. The flanged ends of adjacent sides are rigidly secured together in overlapped abutting relation as illustrated by metal locking members in the form of stii preferably steel metal plates 5 having flanges 6 and 'I adapted telescopically to engage the hookshaped flanges 3 of adjacent sides.

The flanges 6 and 'I of the locking member also engage end portions of the liners 4 and secure them tightly in place, thus providing a simple and effective construction for maintaining the liners in contact with the side walls of the base and preventing their displacement.

The locking plates desirably are seated at their lower ends in complementary recesses 8 in the base extending downwardly from the upper surface thereof partway lthrough the base. Each of the corners of the box at the junction of the side walls is provided with a reenforcing member in the form of a metal preferably steel angle plate the flanges 9 and I0 of which are secured to the contiguous sheet metal side wall of the box. By reason of the present construction these corner reenforcing members may be welded to the side walls after their assemblage. They not only strengthen the joint but also provide smooth rounded corners for the box.

The upper edges of the side walls and their respective liners are enclosed by a U-shaped guard Il of sheet metal, preferably sheet steel of suitable thickness, and the inner lower edges I2 of the guard members engage the upper ends 5m of the flanges 6 and 'I of the locking members 5, thereby retaining them firmly in place and adding to the rigidity of the box. The upper ends of the locking members 5 are broken away in Fig. 1 to show this construction. Desirably a band I3 integral or in sections, extends around the lower ends of the sides and it and the sides are secured to the base by suitable fasteners I4 which extend through alined apertures in the band and in the side walls and are firmly anchored in the base.

Preferably the edge portions of the base are provided with rabbets lil to receive the lower edges of the liners, thereby aiding to hold the liners in contact with the side walls and together with the guard l l to maintain them in tight engagement with the side walls.

While the invention is embodied in a mill box suitable cleats I5 forming runners upon which the box may be slid on the door are secured to the under face of the bottom l. rllhe runners which are adjacent to the sides of the box may also provide bases for the attachment of casters ll, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. l, to enable the box to be used as a truck.

It will be understood that the particular form of box shown and described herein is of an illustrative character and that various modications in size and form may be made within the spirit of the following claims.

invention, what is secured by and scope Having thus described the claimed as new, and desired to be Letters Patent is:

l. A rigid mill box or the like comprising a i thick rigid bottom of fibrous material, vertical sheet metal side wall plates overlying and rigidly secured to the respective edges of said bottom having reversely bent hook-shaped end portions presenting from the side wall, lining sheets of fibrous material for the respective side walls having their end portions extending into the respective spaces between the side walls and the end flanges thereof, rigid sheet metal corner locking plates provided with edge ilanges bent to interlock with the ilanges at the contiguous ends of adjacent side plates acting to clamp the ends of said lining sheets against their respective side walls, and rigid vertical metal angle plates embracing the respective corners of the box welded to the adjacent metal side walls.

2. A rigid mill box or the like comprising a thick rigid bottom of fibrous material having rabbeted edges, vertical sheet metal side wall plates overlying and rigidly secured to the respective edges of said bottom having reversely bent hookshaped end portions presenting flanges parallel to and suitably spaced from the side wall, lining sheets of fibrous material for the respective side walls having their lower edges extending into said rabbets and end portions extending into the respective spaces between the side walls and the end flanges thereof, rigid sheet metal corner locking plates provided with edge flanges bent to interlock with the flanges at the contiguous ends of adjacent side plates and extending into said rabbets acting to clamp the ends of said lining sheets against their respective side walls, and rigid vertical metal angle plates embracing the respective corners of the box welded to the adjacent metal side walls.

3. A rigid mill box or the like comprising a thick rigid bottom of fibrous material, vertical sheet metal side wall plates overlying and rigidly secured to the respective edges of said bottom having reversely bent hook-shaped end portions presenting ilanges parallel to and suitably spaced from the side wall, lining sheets of brous maflanges parallel to and suitably spaced l ases,

terial for the respective side walls having their end portions extending into the respective spaces between the side walls and the end flanges thereof, rigid sheet metal corner-locking plates provided with edge flanges bent to interlock with the flanges at the contiguous ends of adjacent side plates, and terminating short of the upper edges of said side walls and lining, acting to clamp the ends of said lining sheets against their respective side walls, rigid vertical metal angle plates embracing the respective corners of the box welded to the adjacent metal side walls, and channel-shaped guards and reeniorcing members tightly embracing the upper edges of the respective side walls and the lining sheets contiguous thereto and engaging the upper ends of said corner-locking plates.

4. A mill box construction having lined side walls comprising a rigid rectangular wooden bottom having mounted thereon vertical sheet steel side walls having at their ends inwardly bent hook-shaped anges, sheet steel locking plates provided with flanges telescopically engaging the vertical flanges on the adjacent ends of said side walls, lining sheets of suitable material for the respective side walls having their ends extending into the horizontal hook-shaped flanges of the respective side walls and firmly clamped against said side wall by said hook-shaped anges and the cooperating locking members, Vertical sheet metal angle plates embracing the corners of the box and welded to the adjacent metal side walls thereof, channel-shaped guard and reenforcing members tightly embracing the upper edges of the respective walls and their contiguous linings and engaging the upper ends of the lool;- ing plates, a sheet steel band tightly encircling the base and the surrounding side walls, and suitably spaced fastening members extending through said band and side walls firmly anchored in said base.

5. A mill box construction having lined side walls comprising a rigid rectangular wooden bottom having mounted thereon vertical sheet steel side walls having at their ends inwardly bent hook-shaped flanges, sheet steel locking plates provided with flanges telescopically engaging the vertical flanges on the adjacent ends of saidside walls, lining sheets of suitable material for the respective side walls having their ends extending into the horizontal hook-shaped flanges of the respective side walls and rmly clamped against said side wall by said hook-shaped flanges and the cooperating locking members, vertical sheet metal angle plates embracing the corners of the bex and welded to the adjacent metal side walls thereof, channel-shaped guard and reenforcing members tightly embracing the upper edges of the respective walls and their contiguous linings and engaging the upper ends of the locking plates, a sheet steel band tightly encircling the base and the surrounding side walls, suitably spaced fastening members extending through said band and side walls firmly anchored in said base, and parallel wooden cleats secured to the bottom ol said box to form runners or alternatively to form bases for the attachment of casters whereby the box may be used as a truck.

ALBERT F. FYANS. 

